title: Multiplex real-time PCR for prompt diagnosis of an outbreak of human parainfluenza 3 virus in children with acute leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) causes significant morbimortality in immunocompromised patients. Outbreaks of severe pneumonitis have been previously described in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective observational study in children diagnosed with acute leukemia and a documented HPIV-3 infection in the context of a nosocomial outbreak occurred in a single center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During summer 2012, an HPIV-3 infection was detected in six hospitalized children with acute leukemia. All the patients had respiratory symptoms and one of them suffered from parotitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnoses using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) let us control this outbreak. A phylogenetic analysis confirmed person-to-person transmission of a single HPIV-3 variant.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain, rberrueco@hsjdbcn.org.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berrueco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antón
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rives
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Català
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toll
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camós
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torrebadell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Estella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Almagro
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007938:Leukemia / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D010224:Parainfluenza Virus 3, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology